Archive - Dec 2010
December 17th
A paralyzing health condition didn't keep a 19-year-old Hickory resident from giving to others.
Amber Stewart, who has spinal muscular atrophy since birth, decided she wanted to help children by giving them Christmas presents they might not otherwise receive. Her project started off with the idea to give to patients at Brenner Children's Hospital in Winston-Salem, but plans changed. Catawba County Department of Social Services became the recipients of Stewart's gifts.
The Hickory woman charged for obstructing the investigation into her stepdaughter's disappearance had her case continued in court Friday.
Elisa Baker, 42, of Hickory, was scheduled to appear in Catawba County District Court on Friday for four worthless check charges unrelated to the disappearance and death of her stepdaughter, Zahra Baker.
The case against Elisa Baker was continued to April 22, but she didn't appear Friday in court. Her attorney, Scott Reilly, appeared in her place.
A homeowner took matters into his own hands Friday when a thief attempted to rob his home.
A suspect entered a home on East Maiden Road on Friday about 1 p.m. in an apparent attempted larceny, said Catawba County Sheriff's Office Lt. Joel Fish.
The suspect, upon entering the house, saw the homeowner was still in the residence and didn't continue the larceny attempt.
Fish said the homeowner saw the intruder and thought the attempted thief had a gun. As the intruder left the residence, the homeowner grabbed a gun and fired several shots into the intruder's car.
An area high school honored diversity in the classroom Friday with a celebration of dancing, food and crafts.
Students visited most of the world's continents and tasted unique food, without having to leave school grounds or step on a plane.
Newton-Conover High School held its fourth culture fair Friday in the school's gymnasium, where students learned about the different nationalities represented by their classmates.
"Every flag and country you see (at the fair) is represented by someone in this school," said NCHS teacher Melanie White.
By
O-N-E Staff Writer Jordan-Ashley Baker
If you see what appears to be a mound of winter clothes running around Catawba County in the next few days, it’s me. I hate cold weather, and this week’s bitterly cold temperatures have left me seeing just how many layers I can add to my body and still maintain the use of my arms.
I don’t remember when I started hating cold weather. I do know, however, that I reach for a sweater just from the mention of temperatures below 70 degrees.
By
O-N-E Publisher Michael Willard
The frigid air of Catawba County wasn’t the only thing that was cold Wednesday night.
Maiden’s offensive attack was just as icy.
The Blue Devils fell behind West Caldwell 22-2 at the end of the first quarter on the way to a 30-point loss in Maiden.
“I think we started out real flat. We had a bad first quarter,” said Maiden boys basketball coach Doug Miller. “A lot of that is to their credit, but for six out of the first eight games this year, we have
started with a slow start, and we got behind the eight ball.”
Hickory High swimmer Graham Williams is among 12 student athletes who have tentatively committed to swimming and diving teams at the University of North Carolina.
The UNC men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams signed 12 prospective student-athletes to national letters of intent during the early signing period according to Tar Heel head swimming coach Rich DeSelm. The class is expected to be among the nation’s best, and it includes seven men and five women. The 12 student-athletes will enroll at Carolina in August 2011.
December 16th
Area law enforcement agencies reported minor collisions Thursday, with the vast majority of those crashes from weather-related factors.
North Carolina Highway Patrol was overwhelmed with casework after the county's winter weather Thursday morning. Highway Patrol reported more than 300 crashes Thursday.
Hickory Police Department reported several weather-related collisions Thursday morning on Tate Boulevard.
"We had a fist full of accidents," said HPD Capt. Gary Lee. "In one way or another, they were all weather related."
The future of Catawba Valley Medical Center rests on a black-top parking lot beside the hospital's current facilities.
In about two years, however, that parking lot will be a $32-million, state-of-the-art women's and oncology pavilion.
Community leaders, the hospital's staff and its board of directors gathered in the parking lot Thursday for a groundbreaking ceremony on the five-level pavilion, which is set for completion in 2013.
Tony Rose, CVMC president and CEO, spoke with the crowd of people, who were huddled under a tent in anticipation of rain.
Canceling school is a tougher decision than most people think, especially when superintendents consider the state-mandated calendar.
Catawba County schools were canceled Thursday after roads were deemed hazardous after winter weather hit the area. Superintendents and officials from county school systems toured the county at 4 a.m. to determine road conditions and ultimately choosing to cancel schools. The decision of when to make-up the day lost is hard to consider.
